Category: Gun Control

School Shooting Effects On Students Mental Health

‘Attention please. Lockdown. Locks, lights, out of sight.” (Tasneem Nashrulla, 2019). This alarm is repeated for a long 20 minutes as high school students, of a STEM school in Colorado, do their best to hide as silent as possible and pray for themselves, and their classmates, to live for another day.

School was created to teach children. School was created to help them grow. School was created to be an environment of safety. However, school is a place where we learn lock down drills, dissolve into the crowd, and learn how to fear the unknown. School safety has changed and so the way it is approached must change along with it. School shootings not only change the culture of students, but leave them with mental health issues that will linger throughout their lives.

In the past 180 years, 517 schools have lost “594 people” and have affected students and communities that fear the same fate will come to their own schools. (Jo Detz, 2019). The increasing number of school shootings have places a cavalier attitude which forces a negative connotation to school. It normalizes the effects of shooting to a place where they are expected to occur. This unprecedented attack on the younger generations leave their communities with “deep emotional scars” that will always remind them of their unguaranteed safety. (Ariella Iancu, 2019)

This culture has not only placed a strain on communities but also on the individuals directly impacted by this violence. Conditions such as depression and anxiety are expected to arise in the aftermath of such a traumatic event. As school shootings continue to grow, students are finding it difficult to properly cope and work through these new feelings and issues. In turn, students are found to lack the ability to maintain focus in these distressed environments. Lower test scores and dropping attendance are one set example of the deepening and lasting effects of school shootings. School shootings are disabling students to the effects of mental health in a way that is preventing them from functioning normally in society.

Likewise, students who have been directly affected by shootings continue to struggle with mental health with every reminder of these events. It can take months or even years to be free from the damage shootings can cause in one’s mind. Thus, when one goes through such trama, they are at a high risk of other issues such as PTSD. Post traumatic Stress Disorder, is a mental issue that is caused by severe stress in the event of trauma. PTSD illustrates the very root issue of how students are being affected by fear. Not only do students feel a “resistance” to school, emotional stress is taken on as they leave the classroom. Which opens the door to feelings such as, “anxiety, absence of security, and anger” at home, where these feelings cloud their minds (Jessica Hamblen, 2007). Even though PTSD is a condition that can be addressed it does not change the fact that this one event can change the outlook of a person’s life and increase difficulty that, before these events, were simple tasks.

School shootings continue to leave a long lasting effect on a student’s health and an imprint on schools safety policies. In the aftermath, precautions were put in schools to try to make a mask of safety to hide the reality of not knowing how to protect one another. In turn, this is not increasing the safety of our schools but rather encouraging fear. In some schools “active shooter drills” are taken beyond the extent of teaching children how to act, instead, they “seem designed to traumatize students” by instilling fear. (​Evan Gerstmann​, 2019) They send an actor on campus with a fake gun that shoots blanks, pretends to shoot teachers, knocks hysterically on doors, all the while forcing kids to hide in a dark, locked room. For example an unannounced drill in Henrico County, replicated ever mom’s biggest nightmare, thinking their are receiving their last “I love you” text from their children. This continued fear is extending the effects that shootings instill in students. (John hirschauer, 2019). This exposure to violence to young, impreational minds, will increase the fear and panic connected to schools shootings.

School shootings not only affect students as a collective body, but furthermore, causes serious stress and or mental health issues. Schools was a place of promised safety, but with school shooting, safety must be something that is sought at an emotional level and then from there attacked. Mental health is brought with tragedy but as Amy Novontney put it, society must think about, “what happens to the survivors”, and how these communities will rebuild this sense of security that was the foundation of school. Instead of fearing the unknown, schools must focus on using these tragedies as a tool of growth and learning to find solutions to these mental health issues.

Work Cited

1. Detz, Jo. “U.S. School Shootings: Just the Facts.” EcoRI News, EcoRI News, 9 Sept. 2019,​www.ecori.org/public-safety/2019/9/7/us-school-shootings-just-the-facts​.
2. Gerstmann, Evan. “Why Schools Should End Active Shooter Drills Immediately.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 7 Sept. 2019, www.forbes.com/sites/evangerstmann/2019/09/07/why-schools-should-end-active-shooter-drills-immediately/#343ee43d2a92​.
3. Hamblen, Jessica. “PTSD in Children and Adolescents – (National Center for PTSD).” www.georgiadisaster.info, 22 May 2007, www.georgiadisaster.info/Schools/fs%207%20school/PTSD%20in%20Children%20&%20Adolescents.pdf​.
4. Hirschauer, John. ‘The Needless Trauma of Active-Shooter Drills: Why are we terrorizing children over an exceptionally remote possibility?’ National Review, 11 Nov. 2019, p.20+. Gale OneFile: High School Edition, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A603845380/STOM?u=j057905034&sid=STOM&xid=0be02221. Accessed 14 Jan. 2020.
5. Iancu, Ariella. “After School Shootings, Children And Communities Struggle To Heal.” After School Shootings, Children And Communities Struggle To Heal | Health Affairs, 19 July 2019, ​www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20190717.855810/full/​.
6. http://www.ecori.org/public-safety/2019/9/7/us-school-shootings-just-the-facts
7. http://www.forbes.com/sites/evangerstmann/2019/09/07/why-schools-should-end-active-shooter-drills-immediately/#343ee43d2a92
8. http://www.forbes.com/sites/evangerstmann/2019/09/07/why-schools-should-end-active-shooter-drills-immediately/#343ee43d2a92
9. http://www.georgiadisaster.info/Schools/fs%207%20school/PTSD%20in%20Children%20&%20Adolescents.pdf
10. http://www.georgiadisaster.info/Schools/fs%207%20school/PTSD%20in%20Children%20&%20Adolescents.pdf
11. http://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20190717.855810/full/AP Language Arts January 2nd, 2020
12. Novotney, Amy. “What Happens to the Survivors.” Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, Sept. 2018, www.apa.org/monitor/2018/09/survivors.
13. Nashrulla, Tasneem. “This Is What It Sounds Like Hiding In A Dark Classroom During A School Shooting.” BuzzFeed News, BuzzFeed News, 30 May 2019,
14. www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tasneemnashrulla/colorado-stem-highlands-school-shooting-texts-video-lockdown​.
15. http://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tasneemnashrulla/colorado-stem-highlands-school-shooting-texts-video-lockdown
16. http://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tasneemnashrulla/colorado-stem-highlands-school-shooting-texts-video-lockdown

Gun Control Does Not Work In United States

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been researching gun control trying to find why it’s useful in America. Having many accounts of gun violence in America, many Americans say that the second amendment is outdated and that we need stricter gun laws. In reality states with stricter gun laws have more accounts of gun violence. This proves that stricter gun control doesn’t work.

California is ranked as A in gun control yet has more accounts of gun violence in their state, while Texas is ranked F yet has fewer accounts of gun violence or mass shootings(Swearer). This is important because the percentage of shootings in Texas is 6.6% of their population, and if it was compared to the state of Washington which is ranked a B the percentage is 8.9% of the population(Swearer). This just proves gun control doesn’t work. If that doesn’t convince you then, let talk about this so-called outdated amendment. According to a reporter for the new dealer, they say that our founding fathers created the second amendment when guns weren’t so strong during that time and were never expected to get this powerful. The statement is true guns weren’t so powerful and advance back then, yet they were able to advance and America was able to win wars. Without this use of advancement, I can conclude America would be one of the weakest countries in the world. Civilization has evolved with cars, medicine, and weaponry. Everyone should have the right to bear arms just in case another revolution was to take place. Instead of restricting gun control, how about the gun laws may be modified to be able to decrease the mass shooting of each state.

Gun control is another myth that people believe would decrease the number of school shootings or patients with mental illnesses opening fire in a public location putting the lives of many in danger. Modifying the laws that are already given can change the probability of having a school undergo fire by someone. For example, if gun trafficking was actually looked at by the government then guns being sold illegally to minors would decrease. According to the Gifford law center, about 40 percent of guns entering us are from unlicensed sellers that aren’t required to give background checks. This proves that gun trafficking exists and guns are falling into the wrong hands. If the laws were modified this wouldn’t be a problem, having stricter gun control wouldn’t affect that because criminals would still be able to obtain guns. The only thing that would work is modifying laws to prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands.

When guns get to the hands of kids and teens then it goes bad. Without the proper guide on how to use a gun many deaths occur. There is a reason why there are laws that prevent kids to have guns, but sometimes guns are let loose in homes and children are able to get their hands on them and the first thing they do is point it at their face. This sometimes may lead to them pulling the trigger and either dying or killing someone else like their father or mother. According to the Guardian, a four-year-old found a gun under a mattress and shot his own mother in the face. Everyone who owns a gun should be given a safe to be able to keep their guns out of reach from children to prevent situations like this. Having laws modified can change the percentage of deaths in America.

Gun Control: How To Feel Safer Without Weapons

For far too long, gun control and the banning of firearms have been the topic of intense debates and more and more citizens are on the side of banning firearms. Gun control restricts which types of firearms can be sold, bought, as well as who can sell them to passing them to family members or if said person can sell his or her gun. Gun control also requires any firearm purchase and sale to be reported to the government. It also specifies how much and which types of ammunition can be used as well as how many rounds a magazine can hold to making sure background checks are given. Mass shootings, terrorist attacks, criminals, kill people, not guns. I’ve held and shot many guns before and after setting them down, not one has gotten up, walked away, and pulled its own trigger. Tightening gun laws or banning firearms will not put an end to citizens, or anyone, from obtaining guns. With such strict gun laws and the talk of banning them outright, citizens will feel vulnerable if they cannot protect themselves, and lastly, banning guns is a violation of the people’s second amendment. Emotions and feelings get in the way of logical thinking and although some laws are necessary, gun control laws have become too strict, especially in states like New Jersey.

To start, while banning guns might work in the short-term aspect, eventually a ban will prove to be ineffective seeing as how there will always be other avenues for people to obtain guns. There is the black market, 3-D printing, one can build his or her own gun as well buy guns from the internet. The guns that are being 3-D printed and/or built by someone, usually do not have serial numbers. So, not only would people still have firearms, but if they were to get lost, stolen, or even used in a crime, they would not be able to be tracked. So, instead of trying to tighten the gun laws or ban firearms, lawmakers should look into safer gun ownership. Offer more gun safety classes and inform gun owners of Smart Guns, which use fingerprint technology which only allows the owner to fire it. In a study conducted in 2014, out of 5.9 million violent crimes, approximately ten percent contained gun involvement and this is including robberies, assaults, and murder crimes. For ninety percent of violent crimes, people either used a different weapon or no weapon at all. But, hasn’t there been a decrease in gun crimes since the laws have been tightening? Simply put, no. The crimes actually started to decrease in the 1990s when more people started to purchase guns and even with a decrease in gun deaths, and stricter gun laws, it has not done much to reduce gun violence in New Jersey. Also, research has found that New Jersey has more firearms deaths than those states who have weak gun laws.

Moreover, if guns are banned, there will be a lost sense of safety. In an article I read by Pew Research Center, they stated, ‘The vast majority o gun owners say that having a gun makes them feel safer and far more today than in 1999 cite protection [than other activities].’ If gun laws are made stricter and/or firearms are banned, many feel as though it would be difficult to protect themselves and their families. The gun laws in New Jersey are extremely strict. For example, in-home and during one’s travels, the gun and the ammo must be separated in different cases, the case must be locked and stored away in one’s trunk. For law-abiding citizens, this already poses a threat. Intruders, robbers, criminals already have an advantage due to the fact that it’ll take too long for one to load his or her gun but imagine not even being to protect yourself at all. Banning guns will cause victims to be harmed and/or possibly killed. Tightening gun laws and the talk of banning firearms itself creates fear. For example, when Obama called for the tightening of gun laws, guns sales spiked- they nearly doubled. President Obama has actually been the best salesman for firearms, Brian W. Butterbur. Even with something as minor as increasing background checks, fear was instilled, and guns sales rose.

Lastly, the second amendment is in place to protect citizens against these kinds of laws. Banning would be an infringement especially since it is the people’s right to bear arms. The governor of New Jersey has already infringed upon the second amendment when he decided to lower the magazine capacity from fifteen to ten rounds. Increasing the prices and making it more difficult to obtain a firearm is also an infringement. Although this is a violation, the Circuit Courts are allowing him to create and pass these laws.

All in all, while I side with the importance of gun control, to a certain degree, I believe it is most unfair and does not do what lawmakers claim will be the end result. Citizens, people, will always find other means to obtaining guns, some of which are illegal. For a state and nation that wants such strict gun control, its government is only pushing people to purchase untraceable firearms.

Gun Control: Protecting Lives Comes Before Protecting Rights

November 15th, 2015, around 12 pm, I watched all the students in my Math class run in the corner of the classroom and crouch down under the big table after the voice in the speaker went, “We’re going on lockdown”. Not knowing what to do, I followed them since it was my first time encountering such things. Confusion took over me; my head was filled with thousands of questions. Not long after, our teacher who was wearing high heels earlier was tip-toeing as slowly approaching us. The room went dead silent after she whispered, “This is no longer a drill; an armed man was seen wandering around our school”. I was shocked. Soon, I came to realize that the thoughts in my head were no longer curiosity, rather it was horror and the concern whether we will make it alive. Two hours passed by, no sign of the shooter at our door; no sound of violence was heard. Right when we thought we were safe, there was a knock. Everybody began to panic and my hope of returning home alive faded away. A man with a gun appeared in front of our eyes but to our surprise, it was the local police officer who had come to make sure we were okay. He informed us that no such man was found around the area and concluded it to be a prank call. We were relieved. The following semester, I was introduced to the Bill of Rights in my American History class and realized how easy the constitution made it for people to bear arms. Back then, the passing of such a right made perfect sense to me because it was for self-defense. However, three years later, I started to question it when seventeen kids were killed in Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Questions like how do people like Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old, get to purchase guns in America? Is there any background check? Why are mass shootings more frequent around here in America than in any other countries and what policies is the government taking to reduce mass shootings? Is banning guns an option? After some research, I found out that the number of mass shootings has been increasing massively over the past few years, and Congress has finally taken the issue of gun violence into account. They’re still debating about which laws may be effective in reducing it. On the other hand, after the Parkland shooting in 2018, there have been new laws passed in some states by the state legislatures. These include raising the age limit on gun purchases, stricter background checks, and seize guns from those who seem to pose dangers to themselves and others (Maledez, S, 2019). However, even with all these new laws, someone was still able to shoot up a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, leading to the death of 22 people in August 2019. Therefore, based on my research, I can argue that such laws of doing strict background checks, seizing guns, or raising the age limit aren’t helping reduce mass shootings, and the best way to prevent it would be to completely ban the possession of guns from the American society.

While looking for the answer to my first question, I found out a strict background check is conducted during the selling of guns, however, it has a loophole that fails the entire purpose of it which is not handing in guns to murderers. I decided to start my research by visiting the Wayne State Library website. I went to Summon, and typed in my first question, how are guns purchased in the United States. As soon as I pressed enter, hundreds of articles appeared on the screen. One of the articles titled Trump endorses background checks for gun purchases: USA SHOOTINGS caught my attention, and I decided to skim through it. As I started reading, I came across the fact that not all gun purchasers needed their background checked. According to the article, “In February, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill mandating federal background checks for all gun purchases, including those made online or at gun shows, which are largely unregulated. But the leader of the Republican majority in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, has refused to bring the measure to a vote in the upper chamber” (EFE News Service, 2019). This means that the purchase of guns at gun shows or online is available to everybody. Anyone who has enough money could easily walk out with a gun without even having their background checked. This anyone can range from people buying it for self-defense to people who are mentally ill and are planning on a massacre. Such a law of doing “background checks” is not safe and it brings danger to everybody.

As I continued with my research, I learned that some states consider raising the age limit of gun purchases to be effective in reducing the number of mass shootings. As an attempt to further my knowledge on the ways the states are trying to resolve this issue besides the background check, I typed in “solutions to the mass shooting in the USA” in Summon. Unfortunately, the articles that popped up didn’t seem to have the answer to my question. But I needed answers, which is why I decided to google my question. While scrolling down, I found the article The Effects of Minimum Age Requirements which stated that raising the age limit can be a solution and that two states had already implemented it. It further stated “by restricting youth access, minimum age restrictions could reduce rates of firearm suicide or unintentional shootings by the affected age group” (Rand.org, 2019). But the previous article about background checks says otherwise. As I mentioned earlier, the federal law made guns easily accessible to people if it’s bought from a gun shop or online, and no actions have been taken against them yet. It doesn’t require any background checks, therefore anyone, even those who have been denied access due to their young age by their states, will have access to it. Thus, raising the age limit of gun purchases will have no effect, and would be nothing but just one more law added to the law books.

The next thing I found is that people blame mental illness as one of the main factors of mass shootings. According to the article, President Trump addressed mental illness as a cause by stating ‘It’s a mental problem, and we’re going to be meeting with members of Congress,’ after the Texas shooting. He proposed background checks saying “I think background checks are important”(EFE News Service, 2019). Background checks prohibit people suffering from mental illness from bearing arms. But another article titled Mass Shootings, Mental Illness, and Gun Control which I obtained from Summon states that “it is relatively easy for those with serious mental illnesses to pass current background checks and legally obtain guns” because some states fail to submit their mental health records (Jones, S 2019). It further explains that many people purchase their firearms long before they begin to show evidence of severe mental illness” therefore, seizing the guns from them would require proof which may take longer to obtain. This means that they can walk freely with guns on them and can harm others if they want to until their illness is proven.

As I carried on the search for my answers, I discovered that the US had far more incidents of gun violence compared to other countries. Why? The article What Explains U.S. Mass Shootings? answers the question by saying “Americans makeup about 4.4 percent of the global population but own 42 percent of the world’s guns” (Fisher M, Keller J. 2019). This suggests the US has more guns compared to its population. In another article, New Zealand took 6 days to plan new laws. Here’s how other countries reacted to shooting presents examples of other countries where the percentage of gun violence went down after they changed their gun policy. According to it, New Zealand announced a national ban on military-style semi-automatic guns after the mass shooting in March 2019. After the homicide in the Tasmanian town of Port Arthur, John Howard, Australia’s conservative prime minister at the time, made guns a privilege, not a right. British Parliament had outlawed the private ownership of nearly all handguns in 1997 after someone killed 16 kids (Mervosh, S. 2019). These are all examples that show that more guns mean more violence.

Over the past years, mass shootings have become so common in America that the only way to reduce it is to ban civilians from the possession of guns. I have learned that Congress and the States are trying to resolve the issue by requiring strict background checks, raising the age limit, and denying mentally ill people access to guns but based on what I found, these solutions are not helping. I believe a revision of the second amendment and completely banning guns will put an end to this. I still want to know about the disadvantages of a gun ban and look forward to seeing how Congress ends the chapter of mass shootings from the history of America.

Gun Control: How Dangerous Can Be Some Types Of Guns

The gun control theme has been a huge problem that is been discussed for a very long time. The problem has polarized people in terms of what is the best solution in the aftermath of the latest tragic mass shootings. There are some people who want the government to keep the limitations on weapons. On the other side, there are people who do not support the regulation and how firearms could be controlled. All law-abiding citizens should be permitted to carry weapons; this is to protect themselves against people who may wish to harm them, such as in instances of mass shooting. Due to the numerous school shootings and the availability of high-powered rifles, the executive branch should make our communities safer from gun violence.

There are over 250 types of guns in the US today and each citizen has at least one and continues to grow for about 7 million of them each year. Experts believe that the second amendment is rational and legal to the citizens, the author of the handgun prohibition and the person that brought out the second amendment Don B. Kates states that the “second amendment protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in the militia and can be used for traditionally lawful purposes, an example is self-defense within one’s home, however, she never said anybody can go around and start shooting people wrongfully and then claiming you are right. Every year gun violence increases, which really concerns the citizens and the nation. Anybody can purchase a firearm in the US without a background check, except in some states.

There are some solutions in which gun violence can be controlled, firstly reduce firearms access to youths and individuals who are at risk of harming themselves or others, this is basically talking about people who have been violent to their partners and families around them. Secondly, insist on mandatory training for licensing for owners. This training should include recurring education to renew permits, with a graduated licensing process at least as stringent as for driver’s licenses. When it comes to people owning a gun privately, there are guns that are suitable for protection. Guns such as the AK 47 or the AR15 that holds about 30 or more magazine capacity are not suitable in public and are the quick and efficient massacre of the people around. There are no reasons why anyone should have that much. Some of the biggest mass shooting histories have to do with semi-automatic rifles; examples are the deadly shootings at a concert in Las Vegas schools in Connecticut, South Florida, and was also used at a nightclub in Orlando. The AR-15s — often called assault rifles or sporting rifles — are semi-automatic weapons, a civilian version of the military’s fully automated M16.

When it comes to the president changing gun laws, he cannot really do much. However, as the executive branch, the president has the power to direct his agencies, enforce gun laws and make them influence internal practices. If the president wants to take unilateral action on rifle guns, he or she can mostly act through the Department of Justice and its agencies, said attorney Lindsay Nichols of Gifford’s, the gun violence prevention organization. The democratic presidential candidates who have endorsed executive actions on rifle guns have proposals and ambitions. They have each promised to put on a mission called “engaged in the business”. This would make thousands of sellers get a license and conduct checks or they stop selling rifle guns. According to trace 2019, all four said they would reverse the Trump administration’s decision to use a much more limited definition of “fugitives from justice” for the purposes of the federal background check system.

A high-capacity magazine at can hold as many as 20 to100 bullets are capable of causing mass destruction. But with the magazines being reduced to a small amount, would cause less damage, this includes the fire rate and magazine capacity. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Justice found that following the implementation of the ban, a number of cities and jurisdictions reported declines in the number of assault weapons recovered from crime scenes. These declines ranged from 17 percent to 72 percent. With the disconnector removal or selector, fire will be manipulated with comparative ease automatically.

This also implies that within two to five minutes shooting can take place. This requires a ban on assault rifles. If the rifles are not controlled, there may be more threats in the public.

Gun Control: Protocols And Procedures For Obtaining Gun Licenses

Gun control is a vital necessity to our nation today. On one side of the debate, there are individuals who favor the idea of having restrictions placed on guns, and on the other hand, there are individuals who are opposed to putting gun laws in place. The individuals who are against gun control believe that controlling guns will not solve the existing challenges that guns have caused such as crimes or mass shootings. People who are pro-gun regulation know of the threat they pose to society. According to the data from Gun Violence Archive (GVA), as of September 1, which was the 244th day of the year, there have been 283 mass shootings in the U.S (GunViolenceArchive.org). The last time that the number of mass shootings totaled more days than there are in a year was back in 2016, which had 382 mass shootings (Silverstein 2019). The devastations that these tragic events have caused to our society is why we need laws to be set in place to prevent these things from happening.

I feel that there should be multiple protocols and procedures that Americans should have to go through to obtain gun licenses. The lack of gun control shows results in the possession of guns by the wrong individuals. I believe that it is a good idea for mental and background screenings to be taken as one of the strategies to limit gun violence in the nation and targets to ensure that firearms are in the hands of psychologically fit people. According to Dr. Jonathan M. Metzl and Dr. Kenneth T. MacLeish, both authors of Mental Illness, Mass Shootings, and the Politics of American Firearms, 5% of the total gun killings experienced in the United States have been perpetrated by mentally ill individuals (Metzi and MacLeish 2015). Though the statistics of the individuals responsible were not as high, it is obvious that psychological traits that individuals possess are a contribution to gun violence in the nation.

Tuesday, April 20th, 1999, the fourth-deadliest school massacre in history took place at Columbine High School located in Columbine (Sakas 2018). The two students responsible for this incident were Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. They were responsible for killing twelve students and one teacher, and also injuring another twenty-one students in the massacre. The two young men used two nine-millimeter handguns and two twelve-gauge shotguns by sawing off the barrels and the butts of the guns to make them easier to carry and conceal while walking into the school (CSGV.org). The boys bought the firearms from a local gun show by convincing someone of age to buy them and they purchased the handguns through a person that they had met at work (CSGV.org). A simple gun show was the beginning of a tragic massacre that devastated the nation.

After the shooting happened, it seemed like everyone wanted to talk about everything, but gun control was stated in German Lopez’s article on the Columbine Shooting 20 years later (Lopez 2019). Politicians blamed video games like Doom. They blamed Marilyn Manson. They pointed to bullying but no one called out the real problem which is still true to this day… guns. Whether it’s Columbine or any other school shooting that has taken place, the bottom line issue is that the people who have twisted motives were able to obtain extremely deadly weapons that took the lives of everyone.

As I have done my research on being pro-gun laws I realized I notice that America’s loose access to guns is a major reason the US is so much worse in terms of gun violence than any other country. According to Lopez’s article again, in the US, even a background check isn’t a total requirement needed to purchase a gun; the current federal law is poorly enforced and has many ways to go around needing one. But even if a state has stricter rules than federal gun laws, someone can easily cross state lines to buy a gun where it is simpler to do so. Another factor s that the US has a surplus amount of guns. It has far more than any other country period. Estimated for 2017, the number of civilian-owned firearms in the US was 120.5 guns per 100 residents, meaning there were more firearms than people (Lopez 2019). The statistics on this topic are wildly astounding and it is why we, as a country, need to continue to fight for gun laws so that we can prevent these senseless mass shootings.

The point of my paper was to address the early years of mass school shootings and why gun restrictions need to be put in place. As times have changed over the years, gun control has become increasingly urgent to prevent unnecessary crime and killings. But the terrible reality is that strongly motivated and premeditated violence, especially done by killers willing to die, are among the hardest violent acts to prevent, no matter what measures one might take to do so. Gun control may not prevent tragedies like the one in Columbine, but they will lessen the chances of a lot of other, smaller tragedies that receive less publicity but still cause devastating pain.

Gun Control One Of The Hottest Topics In American Politics Today

With the increase in technology today, violence has been able to manifest itself in every part of the country worldwide. Today, every country, society, and town is faced with some form of violence. In my entire life, I have to admit that there have been numerous injuries as well as death caused by gun violence. Today, the most controversial issue in America is gun control. This issue concerning gun control has been debated by politicians and lawmakers for quite a long time, most probably ever since the use of guns was invented in America.

The gun is a small thing, yet a hazardous factor that destroys our lives. Studies conducted on the use of guns by Americans have shown that more than 30,000 individuals in America have died because of firearms (Barry et al, 2018). The increase in the number of people dying from the use of firearms, it has led to division in our country. Some people hold to the belief that people should continue to possess guns while other people are strongly against the use of people owning guns since it affects the peacefulness of the country.

With the increase in the number of the United States population, the number in which citizens own guns increases as well. Research conducted on the numbers of individuals possessing guns in the United States has indicated that the country has about one hundred and twenty guns per one hundred individuals (Barry et al, 2018). Out of this population of individuals owning guns, thirty-five percent of them include men while women sum up to twelve percent (Barry et al, 2018). In my opinion, I do believe that it is the pervasive gun culture of our country that comes from our colonial history that has prompted people to own one or more guns.

Remarkably, guns were common in the American colonial period. The guns were mainly used for hunting as well as offer protection (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). In other words, guns were used to offer self-protection to individuals and their family members. The guns were later used as weapons by the military in the American Revolutionary War (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). During these colonial periods, both men and women were allowed to own or possess their own guns. Similarly, the second amendment, which was ratified in the year 1791 on the fifth December, emphasized the importance of people possessing guns (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). Therefore, I do believe that the colonies owning their own guns during the colonial period and the formation of the second amendment, it has greatly fueled the continuous debate we have today about gun rights.

Today, the National Rifle Association in the United States has proved to be the strongest opponent in Washington that advocates for people to own guns. In other words, the National Rifle Association tends to have a powerful voice for gun owners’ rights across the entire country (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). They ensure that they battle all attempts to pass gun control legislation at all levels of the country (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). Aside from the National Rifle Association, other groups that support the legislation of gun control include the National Shooting Sports Foundation as well as the National Association for Gun Rights (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). All these groups have today played a significant role in fighting for the rights of American citizens to own guns. They mostly base their arguments on the second amendment constitution found in the American bill of rights.

The debate regarding gun control has been mainly controlled by the Republicans. Their main agenda was to favor the use of guns by individuals with regard to the use of money. In the year 2016, all towns in the country spent about one million dollars in lobbying for guns control (Brody, 2018). The National Rifle Association spent more as compared to other groups to encourage their member participation in owning guns. In the year 2017, the government spent about 11.4 million dollars to restrict people’s ability to purchase as well as use firearms (Brody, 2018). During the reign of President Obama, two pro-gun legislation were signed and implemented into the law. People were allowed to carry guns in national parks (Brody, 2018). Additionally, the second piece of the pro-gun legislation signed by President Obama, allowed passengers to carry arms in tartan baggage. In other words, the second piece of pro-gun legislation was invalidating a legislation ban passed after September eleventh (Brody, 2018). In the year 2017, President Donald Trump signed legislation to avert the Social Security Administration from giving out information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (Brody, 2018). With his administration to power, it has chipped away firearm regulations. It has also made it easier for a few individuals to buy firearms if they tend to have an exceptional warrant arrest

It is evidently clear that with the tremendous increase in technology in America, there is an increase in the number of individuals possessing firearms. Most citizens in America do agree with the second amendment that people should have their own guns for their protection. However, with the increase in the number of death and injuries caused to people due to the use of firearms, people have begun to debate whether it’s beneficial for individuals to pose guns. Based on research conducted on the United States population, it was indicated that more than thirty-eight thousand individuals die due to gunshots wounds in the year 2016 (Barry et al, 2018). In addition to that, one of the most horrific tragedies that caught the attention of most people in America is the killing of twenty elementary school children by Adam Lanza in the year 2012 (Barry et al, 2018). In the year 2017, fifty-eight individuals were killed in Las Vegas (Barry et al, 2018). Therefore, with the increase in the number of individuals dying due to the use of firearms, it is clear that gun violence is undeniable and the best solution to curb these incidences is by mainly controlling the use of guns.

With the increase of people owning guns in America and the increase in gun violence, I do believe that there must be a restriction on people’s gun usage as well as posses, so as to prevent or avoid further tragedies. In other words, gun control helps to provide self-defense among people (Barry et al, 2018). The government has to ensure that it limits the people’s possession of firearms. They should implement laws that will restrict more people from purchasing firearms. A person in possession of a gun should be of sound mind. Studies from America’s defense force has indicated that over seventy-five percent of the mass shooting killing that happened in the past thirty years were as a result of legally authorized guns (Barry et al, 2018). By the government taking control of people possessing dangerous weapons, they will be in a position to offer safety to all individuals in the country.

Another reason for restricting or banning the possession of guns by individuals is that it helps to decrease suicide rates. Studies done on ways of improving and maintaining the safety of people in a country have shown that in 90% of the countries where the use of guns has been restricted, there is a decrease in criminal cases such as suicide and massive killing (Brody, 2018). This is because, most individuals in countries where guns have been banned, lack the means of destructive behavior by using guns, which proves to be the most effective way of committing suicide. The government of the United States of America has, therefore, proved to be effective in protecting their citizens’ rights to live to ban the possession of guns to mentally disturbed people. In my opinion, I do believe that the country has significantly reduced suicide rates, which posed to be a threat in the previous year (Brody, 2018). People tend to use other means such as poison to kill themselves but they are not as effective as using a gun.

Moreover, gun control helps to reduce accidents that are mainly caused by guns. Gun control has proved to be effective in reducing some accidents that are brought about by improper handling of guns by people. People with gun possession, basically feel that they are in control. According to Haines (2018), gun possession normally comes with power. This makes people feel that what they say and what they believe is true. Gun control laws are basically required so as to protect women from some domestic violence from their abusive husbands. Every day in the United States, women are killed by their husbands by using guns (Brody, 2018). If a gun is presented every time a domestic disagreement then women’s risks of being murdered will increase by 90% (Brody, 2018). The government should, therefore, ensure they control the use of guns of individuals.

I do believe that with the increase in population growth and more individuals being educated, more crime rates have increased in the United States. As a result of this, it becomes difficult for policemen to provide or offer protection to everyone in the country. Hence, people with licensed guns can use weapons to protect themselves from any form of violence from intruders. With regard to the NRA, guns are utilized every year by more than two million people in self-defense (Brody, 2018). This is because; the police force cannot at all times protect people from burglaries. At the same instance including the time they might arrive at a crime scene, sometimes a bit too late and result in further injuries and possibly even tragic incidents.

Likewise, gun control implementations are not necessarily needed to prevent gun deaths. In my opinion, I do believe that education on guns is the best method to prevent accidental death caused by guns. Studies on America’s population have indicated that ninety-five percent of individuals with guns do believe that all children should be educated on gun safety (Brody, 2018). It is evidently true that guns do not murder individuals but people kill individuals. Therefore, more individuals tend to need more mental screening as well as education to help prevent mass murder (Brody, 2018). The government should strive to ensure that all people are educated about the usage of guns. Furthermore, stern gun control by the government can make individuals be more dependent on the government states, hence making them become helpless. In other words, they become unable to take care of themselves.

Today, the use of guns has resulted in gun violence, which is a complex problem. Gun violence needs some based-equipped solutions to solve the problem. Based on my observations from politics today, it is evidently clear that the increased massive shooting rate has impelled the most powerful debate regarding gun laws (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). Similarly, the killing of the twenty children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the year 2012 by Adam Lanza has tremendously increased the debate concerning gun laws (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). Politicians in Washington are discussing the new legislation as well as the actions against the killing of seventeen individuals at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). President Donald Trump and also lawmakers have come with policies regarding the utilization of guns by individuals in the country.

The government has therefore increased the age in order to purchase a gun. President Donald Trump has called for raising the age of buying guns by individuals (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). According to President Trump, the minimum age for one to purchase a gun or be in a position of handling a gun is by the age of twenty-one (Cukier & Eagen, 2018). In my opinion, I strongly agree with the president’s claim. This is because, by the age of twenty-one, one is in a position to be responsible for their actions and they are proven to be of sound mind. The president goes further to claim that teachers should be encouraged with some proper training to carry a gun. I do believe that with the teachers being in a position to use guns properly, they will be in a position to prevent some massive massacres that happen in school settings.

In recent years, gun control has become one of the hottest topics in our politics today. To some individuals, there seems to be no need for more gun control. On the other hand, others still believe that the government should improve and continue implementing more laws with regard to the utilization of guns by people. Despite many people believing that gun control will limit as well as violate their human rights on owning guns, I strongly believe that the government implemented policies on gun control can help many societies. Gun control will help people to live harmoniously with other people, hence making them feel safe.

The Columbine High School Shooting – The Lessons To Be Learned

On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold walked into Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, however this day was different than all the rest. What happened that day would come to be known as The Columbine High School Massacre. Harris and Klebold killed 12 of their fellow students and a teacher before commiting suicide in the school library (“Columbine High School Shooting Fast Facts”). Cassie Bernall, 17, Steven Curnow, 14, Corey Depooter, 17, Kelly Fleming, 16, Matthew Ketcher, 16, Daniel Mauser, 15, Daniel Rohrbough, 15, William “Dave” Sanders, 47, Rachel Scott, 17, Isaiah Shoels, 18, John Tomlin, 16, Lauren Townsend, 18, and Kyle Velasquez, 16, will never swim in a lake, will never watch the sunset, will never even simply walk down the street again (“Columbine High School Shooting Fast Facts”). A world of possibilities was stolen from them and the world we live in will never be the same. Since April 20, 1999, everyone has asked the same question: How could this happen?

People tried to come up with reasons behind why they did what they did. People came up with many theories. Everyone grasped for answers. Many blamed music, media, video games, and more. People blamed easy access to guns, racism, neo-nazism, a wall between church and state that had grown too strong, or the boys were simply “bad seeds”(Gerdes). The real answers are within Harris and Klebold’s psychology. “…Dave Cullen, author of the 2009 book Columbine, described Harris as the “callously brutal mastermind” while Klebold was a “quivering depressive”…”(“Columbine Shooting”). Harris and Klebold latched onto each other. Their friendship turned toxic and eventually fatal. There were, of course, signs as to what they were planning. About a year earlier Harris and Klebold had broken into a van and stolen electronics. They were placed in a diversion program but graduated early (Gerdes). There were little signs but in reality no one saw what was coming. This was a mistake no one wanted to make again.

America was changed forever after April 20, 1999. America never truly healed. Today’s students live in constant fear, not of tests but of AK-47s. There has been a school shooting almost every month for the past 20 years (Cullen). However, not much was learned. Eleven days after the shooting the NRA held a meeting a short distance from the school (Gerdes). People continue to push this problem away, as if it is not happening. On April 20, 1999 thirteen innocent people lost their lives while going through a normal day at school. That should have been enough to spark change but instead countless others have lost their lives in tragedies such as Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, and Parkland. Still, it is as if we have learned nothing. Someone needs to shine a light on the truth. In 2016 Sue Klebold published a book titled A Mother’s Reckoning. We should learn from people’s lives and first hand experiences that way no more lives are lost. “When we can do a better job of helping people before their lives are in crisis, the world will become safer for all of us”(Klebold).

My generation was born after Columbine. “We have all grown up conditioned to be afraid. And we are sick and tired of being afraid”(Hogg). We have had active shooter drills since kindergarten. We have never lived in a world where school is safe. One would assume something as devastating as Columbine would have sparked change. However, it seems to have done the opposite. Since April 20, 1999 over 200 people have died in school shootings (Hogg). Columbine set off a domino effect that we are still experiencing nearly 20 years after the shooting. Today’s students are still living in the aftermath. In 2012 Adam Lanza showed up at Sandy Hook Elementary School and killed 26 people. Found with Adam Lanza’s belongings was Columbine memorabilia (Klebold). In 2012, I was seven years old. I was in the second grade. The 20 children that died should be starting high school next year, just like me. It could have been me. It could have been my friends. Too many people have lost their lives for us to sit back and do nothing.

We need to learn from Columbine. The biggest lesson to be learned from Columbine is “If you see something, say something”. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold did not hide everything they were planning. If someone says/posts/does something concerning report it. Even if it’s just a joke we are far past this being a joking matter. Children are losing their lives. However, we cannot live in fear. “Their vision was to create a nightmare so devastating and apocalyptic that the entire world would shudder in their power”(“The Depressive and The Psychopath”). We cannot let them win. We need to be strong. A simple joke about a school shooting could be them letting someone see inside. You can never be too careful. We need to come together and stand up for the youth of our nation. We are Marjory Stoneman Douglas strong. We are Virginia Tech strong. We are Sandy Hook strong. We are Columbine strong.

Gun Control Pros And Cons Essay

While considering the pro-gun side, one must take note that even though crime will always exist no matter where we go or what kind of laws a place may have, the least our country can do is try to show effort and concern by taking action in this problematic occurrence going on in the United States. Countries with restrictive gun control laws obtain lower homicide and suicide rates. We can use Finland as an example, which has the most gun ownership but they have extremely strict laws in order to get one, whereas in the United States we have an easy route in order to hold possession of a weapon. With stricter gun laws, provides a safer environment and regulates the distribution of guns and who holds possession of them. Even though there is always a chance that the gun may be placed in the wrong hand, with gun laws the chances will decrease and not everyone will be able to obtain a hand weapon. Adding on, it is important to take into counter the extreme fear that has come across Americans with the amount of gun violence occurring from state to state. Many people have developed anxiety whenever they go somewhere with a large number of crowds, or even simply just being in a classroom or dining in somewhere. The number of shootings we see taking place all throughout the country from news outlets and on social media begins to evoke emotional distress. It is hard not to think about the nearest exit around, or exactly where one should hide if someone walks in with a gun; these things should be the last thing on one’s mind, especially in a school setting. According to Liam Stack, “ More than 5,000 readers wrote to tell us about the anxiety they felt while riding the subway, going to the movies, dropping their children off at school and attending religious services”. In addition, according to a newspaper article by Susan Paige and Marilyn Iceman, “Now nearly one in five, 19%, say they don’t feel safe at their school. One in four, 25%, say it’s very or somewhat likely that a classmate will bring a gun to school. Nearly one in seven, 15%, say it’s likely there will be shooting at their school”. In the article, the writers also incorporated quotes from students that express their feelings when they attend school. One of the students they have interviewed explained that “ ‘I watch over my shoulder because you never know,’ ” says Justin McDonnall, 17, a sophomore at North Central High School in Hymera, Ind”. It is truly unfortunate that the tolerant gun system that the United States has, has caused so many traumatic experiences that people feel unsafe just living their daily lives. One should not feel like they are not able to proceed in life with feeling unprotected and having anxiety when they go places; this takes emphasis on students attending school. As for parents, they should be able to drop their kids off at school, knowing they are in a safe place and not have to worry about whether their child is going to make it home or not. In order to come to terms with all that has occurred, both sides of the argument should come together and find the medium- gun control.

The lack of gun control that has caused serious and fatal effects to the United States, it has been due to the underlying issue of gun regulation. Just about anyone can purchase a gun despite the legal age laws. Just because the law requires one to be at least “at least 18 years of age to purchase shotguns or rifles and ammunition” does not mean that it is still safe for them to be purchasing a weapon. Adding on, today in America, buying a gun is way too easy for the damage that it can cause. Background checks here in America are too lenient to surpass and ultimately make the process of passing them extremely doable, even with those who have a criminal record. In selling guns, it is important to take into consideration who you are selling the guns to because “it isn’t only the guns, it’s the people who use them to commit the murders” according to Connors and Kelly as they write an article on gun reform. With the resistance of gun reform that America continues to dismiss “There is widespread support among Americans — Democrats, Republicans and gun owners alike — for a number of initiatives to curb gun violence they would like to see Congress pass” which is why gun control can be portrayed as one of the solutions to pleasing those who want some form of change to occur.

Adding on to the fight for gun control, many tourists normally do not feel that it is safe to travel to the U.S. in fear of a massive shooting taking place because of our gun laws. With news outlets portraying all the criminal violence going on that stems from gun accessibility, many people second guess about visiting the United States. Sadly, because we have so many massive shootings that happen per year, it becomes associated with the United States; this makes people scared to come and visit the U.S. because of the gun violence that we are known for. In an article, Nomadic Matt addresses the issue about the refinement people have in visiting the United States due to the excessive amount of violence arousing from the U.S. In the article, the writer proclaims that we have “The US has the highest rate of death by guns in the developed world (outside of war zones, of course), we have nearly the highest incarceration rate in the world, hate crimes have gone up since the election, and we average roughly one mass shooting five out of every six days (and 90% of the mass shootings in the world happen here)…And when these incidents and attitudes are projected around the world in conjunction with our recent political strife, it creates the perception of the United States as a dangerous and unwelcoming place”. Through this article, it is evident to say that because of the excessive amount of gun violence happening around the country, many people have adapted a nervous and frightful feeling in coming to the United States. Movements such as the “March for our Lives” protest, it has sparked great publicity in the violence occurring in America because of violent gun usage. The outrage of gun violence, it has created an unfortunate image for America. People should be able to come and visit our country without feeling unsafe and on edge due to the lack of regulation we have for guns.

For those who are opposed to the idea of Gun control, they must understand that it is not taking away all of their guns or diminishing the second amendment, but it is rather the efficient way of balancing out the possession of guns and how one must obtain them. Politico Magazine addresses that “High-mindedly, Americans see themselves as locked into a perpetual stalemate over the meaning and limits of the Constitution’s guarantee of a right to bear arms”. Gun control can be seen as an effective way of understanding both sides of the aisle; giving those on one side the security they need, but also still letting those on the other side keep their freedom to bear arms. In doing so, those on the pro-gun side would just have to go through certain procedures in order to obtain their weapon, by the ability to have a gun would not be entirely diminished.

Aristotle, believed that to pursue happiness meant that if one is morally good then they are “striking a balance between two vices. You could have a vice of excess or one of the deficiencies”. Gun control can play an essential role between the two vices of lienantley having guns and taking away all possession of guns. With support from both vices, in order to obtain a moderate country and please each side gun control can be the ultimate solution to that by making sure that all steps are taken up properly to responsibly earn the ownership of a gun. Steps must include the proper age it takes to own a gun, and enhance careful observation by conducting in-depth background checks in order to ensure stable gun ownership.

Conclusion

As the recurring violence of guns causes deaths and massive shootings, it is our job as a country to help find a solution to the problem. With both sides of the argument being excessive, it is important to find the “Golden Mean” between the two as Aristotle would refer to it. In order to please both sides, but also find a cure to the problem, we must meet in the middle as a country and find the equilibrium between the two vices- gun control.

Gun Control Takes More People Than It Saves

Although gun control seems positive and morally attractive at first glance, I assure you that when you look at the facts and solid evidence, you’ll see why it is logical not to implement US arms control laws. There are many reliable studies and real-world examples that show why arms control is not a much better alternative to strict weapon control. Strict rules on arms control take more people than they save, which is why it is so important. If you go beyond popular beliefs and prejudices and take the time to thoroughly examine gun control and find facts and evidence, you’ll see why gun control is not a good solution.

According to the New York Times, around 23% of people living in cities in the United States own a gun and about 56% of those living in rural areas. The actual number is estimated to be much higher because many states do not require the possession of a specific type of weapon. Which means there are many unregistered weapons. In fact, around 270 to 300 million cannons are in circulation in the United States. It’s almost a weapon for every American citizen. From this, we can conclude that arms control affects many people.

One of the main mistakes of gun control is the fact that criminals always find a way to get weapons. ‘The results of the murder suggest that when weapons are scarce, other weapons are replaced by killing,’ quotes a Harvard study. If a person is motivated enough, he will find a way, and we have already found that there are about 300 million weapons in the United States, so finding a way is not too difficult.

Removing weapons would only disarm law-abiding citizens and expose them to criminal attacks. ‘Weapons control laws ensure that thieves and bad people who want to defeat them are defenseless,’ said Earl Bumpkin, author of the pentagram. People may argue that we have police who protect us. The problem is that the police can’t be everywhere at the same time. In fact, they may be quite far from the crime scene. The average police response time is about ten minutes, but it is known to take more than 20 minutes in some areas. A lot can happen between 10 and 20 minutes. People can die, businesses can be robbed, cars can be stolen, and many other events can take place. Therefore, citizens should be armed.

FBI reports show that the number of violent crimes has fallen since 2007. Despite the ongoing debate on arms control. Interestingly, gun ownership increased at the same time. The growing number of weapons can actually lead to a lower crime rate. For example, if you look at a place like Russia, a country that has very strict weapons regulations for its citizens. Despite the laws on weapons, they have a very high crime rate, perhaps even because of them. The more citizens have guns, the less likely they are to commit a crime. An armed population is much more dangerous to criminals than unarmed.

Another reason for the lack of control over weapons is the second change. ‘You cannot violate a well-regulated militia, necessary for the security of a free state and the right of citizens to hold and carry weapons.’ Let’s sum it up. When the founding fathers spoke of ‘well-regulated militia,’ they meant that US citizens should be armed and ‘necessary for the security of a free state.’ They should be armed to protect themselves against criminals and potential government tyrants. ‘The founders warned [people that the government does not limit the possession of weapons] … they knew that governments could turn against their people,’ said Glenn Beck. As a nation that has just separated from a government that has opposed its people, it makes sense to incorporate this amendment into the constitution and it is prudent to keep it now. It may seem absurd to think that the US government may be corrupt, but many governments in the past, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Some argue that weapons regulations such as ‘Stand Your Ground’ encourage people to shoot first and ask questions that lead to unnecessary murders. However, the lack of regulations such as ‘Stand your Ground’ would cause far more deaths. When people fall into life or death, they shouldn’t worry about breaking the law. ‘Citizens must be able to protect themselves without fear that self-defense is a legal issue.’ says Rich Morthland, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives. It would hesitate in a situation where nobody would allow it and do bad things. Even the police are learning not to hesitate in such situations.

It is also argued that loose weapon legislation makes it easier for criminals to obtain weapons. Although it’s true, this can’t be avoided. An alternative to ‘loose weapon control’ is strict weapon control, which means that only criminals have weapons (it is not known if the criminals follow the rules)

Having only criminals who have guns is a much worse alternative than criminals and citizens who have guns.